Nitrites!!! Ahh!!

emmyk · Aug 8, 2013

So my tank had been established for quite some time, always in check. I had a funny feeling in my gut even with Stanley's food dance and happiness, so I tested the water. High nitrites?! What?! This has never been a problem. I haven't changed the filter media lately, and I had two spares so I went to check it out and the filter was very dirty. I changed that out, did a 10% water change ( I have to be quiet, people are sleeping) fished out any debris with a net, and added an extra plant from another established tank. I'll fix it with a water change in the morning but do you think he'll be fine for tonight?
(I'm a worry wart)

Chinadog · Aug 8, 2013

Nitrates are the final product of your filter system and if nothing else prove it's working properly! They are not poisonous in the same way as ammonia or nitrite but can cause stunted growth and poor feeding in constant high levels. The best way to remove nitrate is regular water changes but lots of live aquatic plants will help alot!
hope this helps!

emmyk · Aug 8, 2013

Its nitrites that's high, not nitrates): thats why im worried.but thank you so much!

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Chinadog · Aug 8, 2013

Oops, sorry! only just woke up, In that case it means your filter hasn't fully cycled yet. The same applys though, lots of live plants will help but short term daily water changes will bring them down until the filter catches up. Nitrite is not as toxic as ammonia so very short term your axolotls should tolerate it until you can do a water change later today.
Sorry i miss read your post!

emmyk · Aug 8, 2013

Thank you so much

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mewsie · Aug 8, 2013

How high is high?

If your tank has previously been cycled, something has probably caused this blip, it wouldn't normally go from cycled to nitrite with no reason. Have you checked for ammonia and nitrate, too?

emmyk · Aug 8, 2013

Ammonia is fine and so is nitrate . I'm confused because when I test it and turn it upside down to mix it reads about 0.25 ppm but as I let it sit for like 30 seconds it turns to 2.0 ppm , and if it sits any longer it turns to 5.0 ppm. The correct reading is supposedly .25 ppm.. which one is actually correct? I haven't had a problem with this before

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Chinadog · Aug 8, 2013

It would be worth re checking the instructions for the test kit, the ones i have at the moment need to be read as soon as the regents are mixed with the water but others i've had in the past needed to be left for a specific time before taking a reading. Mewsie is right that a nitrite spike is very strange if the tank is fully cycled, there should have also been an ammonia spike in the 1st place to cause the nitrite to rise!

emmyk · Aug 8, 2013

I might be worrying about nothing then

the only one that you wait 5 minutes for is nitrates in the kit. Its just strange because its never done this to me.

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emmyk · Aug 8, 2013

Also, did I do the right thing by changing the filter media? Or would that kill off a majority of the bacteria? I have driftwood, a hide and three plants, plus the sand that the biofilm can be on, so I figured that would be fine.

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Chinadog · Aug 8, 2013

Maybe so! if your axolotl is happy and feeding then chances are the water is fine. the other thing that used to catch me out is looking at the test tubes under dim light, this used to make the ammonia test kit i had read high when really under good light it was zero!!
Hope this helps! :happy:

Chinadog · Aug 8, 2013

emmyk said:
Also, did I do the right thing by changing the filter media? Or would that kill off a majority of the bacteria? I have driftwood, a hide and three plants, plus the sand that the biofilm can be on, so I figured that would be fine.

I would have left the filter media alone but it's too late now. just keep an eye on the water quality and maybe feed a bit less until you're sure the new media is cycled.

emmyk · Aug 8, 2013

I kept the old filter media in a tub of water just in case, should I switch it back or just leave it?

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Chinadog · Aug 8, 2013

Maybe someone with more knowledge about bacteria could answer you better than me but i think the bacteria starts to die within hours once the oxygen levels fall. i would leave things as they are now and just keep testing until the new media cycles.
Maybe stanley has had enough drama for one day!!

emmyk · Aug 8, 2013

Agreed!

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Kaysie · Aug 9, 2013

New media is fine, as long as you didn't completely scrub the tank. Beneficial bacteria live on all the surfaces of the tank, not just your filter media.

emmyk · Aug 16, 2013

Bump! Stanley is doing great...however the nitrites are still high. I would say between 2ppm and 5 ppm.. I did a 80%water change yesterday thinking it would help which it did, but today nitrites back up. Should I wait to do a water change, or do a 50% today?

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emmyk · Aug 16, 2013

Please help me figure this out. I think I have an idea . I got a siphon drain/fill thing, and I've been using that for water changes. I usually put in the dechlorinator half way through, and I'm thinking maybe the fact that some chlorinated water rushes in before the dechlorinator may kill the biofilm. Is this possible? I'm going to try putting in the dechloronator first this time and see if the bacteria rebuilds and nitrites go down..

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auntiejude · Aug 17, 2013

You need to dechlorinate your water before you add it to your tank - yes it could be affecting the bacteria, but surely that would cause a NH4 spike too?

But yes, treat the water and let it acclimatise to room temp before you add it to the tank - I use 10L and15L camping water comtainers.

Nitrites!!! Ahh!!

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